The 2019 Guangxi Culture and Tourism Development Conference is being held in Guilin from Nov 20 to 21 to promote cultural tourism resources, quality travel routes, and tourism preferential policies, expanding the cultural tourism market of Guangxi.

Delegates from international organizations, such as the United Nations World Tourism Organization, Asia-Pacific Tourism Association, and World Tourism Alliance, representatives of major embassies and consulates of ASEAN countries, heads of cultural and tourism departments of the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region, as well as state-owned cultural tourism industrial investment groups in all provinces, autonomous regions, and cities are attending the conference.

Events like the campaign for next year's host city, as well as the investment promotion and signing ceremony of major cultural tourism projects are being held as well.

From this year onwards, the Guangxi Cultural Tourism Development Conference will be held every year, and they will be held by cities in Guangxi determined through election campaigns. A series of supporting policies and measures will be formulated, with special funds being given to the host city.

The investment promotion and signing ceremony of major cultural tourism projects is held during the first Guangxi Culture and Tourism Development Conference. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The investment promotion and signing ceremony of the major cultural tourism projects of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region was inaugurated in Guilin on Nov 19. A total of 17 projects were signed on spot, including six contracted projects on the autonomous region level and 11 contracted projects on the municipal level, with a total amount of 75.93 billion yuan ($10.81 billion).

The cultural tourism industry in Guangxi has made considerable progress in recent years. In 2018, the total number of tourist receptions reached 683 million, and the total tourism consumption increased to 761.99 billion yuan. The comprehensive added value of tourism in the region accounted for 18.3 percent of the total GDP.

In the future, Guangxi will accelerate the upgrading of Guilin tourism, establishing a number of world-class resorts and promoting inbound tourism. It will also develop coastal tourism, exploring new forms like cruise yachts and marine sports, as well as strengthen the development of health tourism in Bama.